Long on the Blockchain

Bloomberg is reporting that the cryptocurrency market is headed south. Like beyond-the-boarder, deep into Mexico south.

The peak for Bitcoin was $19,511 on December 18th, soon after the introduction of regulated futures contacts in the U.S.

But now, reports Bloomberg, Bitcoin has seen more than half its value wiped out after “waves of negative news,” including escalating regulatory threats from around the world (including in India, South Korea, China, and the U.S.), along with a record $500 million heist at Japanese exchange Coincheck Inc.

Nothing like a virtual coin bank heist in Tokyo to bring down a bull Bitcoin market! Quick, was George Clooney or Matt Damon anywhere in the vicinity??

Bitcoin was trading as low as $7,643, and overall down 21 percent on the week (and is bringing down other virtual coins, including Ripple, Ether, and Litecoin, all of which tumbled 28 percent).

Turbo’s Take: One, I wish I’d held on to those 7 Bitcoins I’d had in Coinbase and which I sold a year ago this month. I’d take $7K per coin. Two, this is all missing the larger plot — it’s not about Bitcoin, or even virtual currency — it’s about the underlying technology that powers these systems, the blockchain (see IBM’s blockchain overview here). It’s about the power to increase transparency and decrease friction in markets and transactions of all types. So, if you want to go short on Bitcoin, be my guest. But I would recommend you go long — very long — on the blockchain.